So, today marks a significant milestone in my career as a writer and, I suppose, marks my induction to the genre of erotica.
Within the past week I have been offered money for my writings (advertisers paying for space on mysexlifewithlola.com); I have been censored (PayPal froze my account and permanently shut me out due to the “content” of mysexlifewithlola.com) so that I cannot claim said money from said advertisers; and I’m broke.
PayPal was kind enough to have a representative call me (after I threatened to sue them) and the poor girl on the other end of the line could hardly get herself to say “mysexlifewithlola.” Rather, she said, “my ___ life with lola.” The second word was an incoherent grunt. Poor repressed little thing. Anyhow, when I pressed her on the issue she said that due to the nature of the content of the website PayPal has chosen to “disassociate” itself from me. “This terminates our relationship.” When I said, “Really? So you’re actively engaging in censorship?” she said, “No, not censorship, we just have determined that your website and its content does not meet with our Terms of Use Policy.” I followed with, “I read your Terms of Use Policy and I am not violating any of the terms.” “I’m sorry, but we reserve the right to make these decisions and we have decided that your website is. . . indecent.”
“INDECENT! You’re telling me that PayPal thinks it knows better than the Supreme Court of the United States of America what is indecent? PayPal is going to infringe upon my 1st Amendment freedom of speech?”
“I don’t know about that,” she began to say. I interrupted, “Yeah, well your legal department does!”
“Sir,” she said, “your content. I mean, the categories. . . ‘bestiality’?”
I was hoping she’d run down the whole list and I could query her on each and every topic till she was perfectly red in the face and had to utter these words next to her coworkers, but let’s just say the conversation did not end with our becoming “pals.” PayPal is not my pal.
Indeed … Welcome to our world! Though you weren’t selling content you were soliciting donations and that is a different animal and should be the foundation of your argument. I hope you got your money out of the account.
Sorry, love.
I remember you had a campaign against PayPay for this very reason and I thought it was successful. No?
Yes, it was in theory. We’ve found that it hasn’t fully translated into reality.
booooo paypal, boooooo
Agreed.
Frustrating… but as a company they have the right to choose with whom they do business. They could opt to only serve blue haired ladies with 18 cats and they’d be within every right to do so. You’re still able to post, so they aren’t censoring. You just have to find another way to accept payment. Again… frustrating and I’m sorry you’re dealing with that today. Hugs to you both.
I know you’re right, but I wanted to give them as much frustration as they were giving me. Thanx for the hugs.
What about notifying the advertisers that the money did not reach you? The advertisers must have incountered this before. They should be invested in helping you, as they would want a longer term relationship with you than just a week. I hope there is a way to get the money back from the advertisers and I hope that you haven’t gotten too discouraged.
Take care ~
WordAds – the company that first informed us that there was money to be had, says they ONLY use PayPal for payment. Grrrr.
That nearly sounds like money laundering. WordAds will only deal with a company that will seize your account? That’s collusion.
I’m not signed on to FetLife, but their forums should be big enough to have some useful advice for you.
Bummer. So where does that leave you then?
Trying to figure that out.
Sorry to read about this. :/
don’t give up! use someone else – unfortunately, I don’t have an answer but there must be one.
Thanks, I haven’t given up. Still figuring.
I don’t even read this website but I think this is bullshit. You better sue them and get your money back!
Aw. Sorry to hear you were pinned by PP.
Their active stance against adult content is kind of scary for those of us who make our livings writing erotica. censorship is EVIL.